A night after 20 innings, RailRiders win in 10

What could top the previous night's 20-inning win? For the RailRiders, it was another extra-inning win, only in half the time.

Less than 24 hours after a record-setting 5½-hour, 20-inning win over Toledo, and not too long after a 2:30 a.m. bus ride and ensuing morning flight to Louisville, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shrugged off the effects of a long game and longer night of travel to post a 6-5 win in 10 innings Friday at Louisville Slugger Field.

Dan Johnson provided the late-inning firepower, the second night in a row the team won on a homer, bashing a two-run blast off Pedro Villareal as the team rallied from an early three-run deficit.

Like everything the last two days, the win didn't come easily, despite Johnson's blast.

While picking up his second save, Sam Demel gave up a pair of hits and a walk, stranding the tying run at second by striking out Cincinnati Reds speedy prospect Billy Hamilton for the final out of the game. That was a good theme for the RailRiders bullpen, which gave up baserunners, but also recorded 11 strikeouts over seven innings of relief.

It was a win that didn't begin well for the RailRiders, or starting pitcher Jose Ramirez.

Louisville struck for three runs in the bottom of the third inning, which was also the final inning of work for the 23-year-old Ramirez, who has gotten to the sixth inning in only one of his eight starts at Class AAA.

The Bats, who scored three in five innings off Ramirez just six days ago, got to the right-hander again.

Denis Phipps led off with a triple and scored on a ground out. After Kristopher Negron fanned, Hamilton singled and an errant pickoff throw by catcher Bobby Wilson sent Hamilton wheeling into third.

After a walk to Josh Fellhauer, Neftali Soto grounded a single to right to plate Hamilton.

Felix Perez followed with another single to right and Fellhauer scored for a 3-0 advantage, and what proved to be the end of the night for Ramirez.

Randy Ruiz got the RailRiders offense started when he led off the fourth with a double to center off Louisville starter Dan Corcina. Newly acquired Brendan Harris walked and Jose Pirela singled softly to center to lad the bases.

Wilson drew a walk to force in a run and when Alberto Gonzalez bounced into an around-the-horn double play, Harris scored to make it 3-2.

The RailRiders chased Corcina in the fifth. Corey Patterson drew a leadoff walk and Ronnier Mustelier ripped an RBI double to left. After Johnson lined out, Ruiz cracked a single to center that plated Mustelier with the go-ahead run.

RailRiders relievers lived on the edge for three straight innings but didn't allow a run.

Dellin Betances replaced Ramirez in the fourth and gave up a pair of singles, then got a pair of strikeouts. The second turned into an inning-ending double play when Wilson gunned down Henry Rodriguez at third to end the inning.

Betances walked Hamilton to open the bottom of the fifth, then made an errant pickoff throw to first, allowing Hamilton to move to second. Fellhauer again walked and after Hamilton stole third, Soto lined to second. But Betances struck out Perez and Mike Hessman to wriggle out of trouble.

Yoshinori Tateyama came on in the bottom of the sixth and like Betances, worked out of a jam of his own making.

Rodriguez singled up the middle and after a pair of quick outs, Kristopher Negron doubled, sending Rodriguez to third. But Tateyama induced a fly ball to Patterson in left to get out of the mess.

Jim Miller wasn't as fortunate in his inning of relief, giving up two hits and a walk as the Bats tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Contact the writer: sports@timesshamrock.com

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.